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Three employees of T.L. Wallace Construction were killed and
four were injured Wednesday when the bridge collapsed over the
Strong River in central Mississippi’s Simpson County, Sheriff
Paul Mullins said.
The construction company, based in Columbia, Mississippi, said
in a statement that the three workers who died were “cherished
members of our community and our team.”
One of the injured workers was treated at the scene Wednesday
and the other three remained hospitalized in critical condition
Thursday, according Mullins.
The bridge was on state Route 149 in Simpson County, about 40
miles (64 kilometers) south of the state capital, Jackson. It
had been closed to traffic since Sept. 18 as part of a bridge
replacement project, the Mississippi Department of
Transportation said.
The workers killed were Charles Badger, whose age was not
immediately available; Charles Ingleharte, 22; and Kevin Malone,
62, Simpson County Coroner Terry Tutor said Thursday. Ingleharte
lived in Foxworth and Badger and Malone lived in Hattiesburg,
according to the company.
“At this time, we ask for prayers and support for the families
and loved ones of the deceased,” the company said. “Our hearts
go out to them during this incredibly difficult time. T.L.
Wallace Construction, Inc., is committed to providing assistance
to the families as they navigate through this unimaginable
loss.”
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on social
media late Wednesday that the Federal Highway Administration was
“engaging state officials concerning” the “premature collapse
during demolition of a bridge on State Route 149 in
Mississippi.”
Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi said on
social media Thursday that the bridge collapse was a tragic
event.
“We must work to understand what caused this accident so we can
prevent something like this from happening again,” Hyde-Smith
said.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation said one of its
inspectors was at the work site when the bridge collapsed, and
that person was unharmed.
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